Container and iron



Oct. 30, 1945. A. c. HOECKER CONTAINER AND IRON Filed June 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mmvron ,1945. A. c. HOECKER CONTAINER AND IRON Filed June 21, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5.

- application Serial No.

Palm Get. 39, 1945 CONTAINER AND IRON Albert 0. Hoecker, St.'Louls, M0., assignor to v p Gunhlld Bergland Hoecker, St. Louis, Mo. r

Application June 21, 1941 Serial No. 399,093

(Cl. sir-'71 7Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in fluid operating devices for dampening and ironing, and is alurthering of the subject matter presented in my copending The primary object of this invention is to provide means whereby dry steam, or water and steam, discharged from a boiler can be mixed, so a; to attain the dmired steaming and dampening e ect.

Another object of the invention is to provide on improved control system.

A further object of the invention an improved water heating element.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for the location of the safety valve so as to prevent injury to the operator of the iron.

is still further object of the invention is to provide an improved control valve.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an iron with improved steam and water mixing container and associated parts.

Qther and further objects will appear inv the specification and be specifically pointed, out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings exemplifying the invention and in which:

Fig. l is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a. top plan view of the iron. 1

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the underside or bottom oi the iron.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section of and tubular member for the tubular member and valve operating mechanism disclosed in Fig. 1 and taken on line M of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the valve operating com and tubular member disclosed in Fig. 5.

is to provide Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 8 designates the sole plate. The sole plate is provided on its top surface with a steam space 2 at the forward end thereof, and in said space and extending through said sole plate are openings or perforations 2" providing'outlets to the under surface of the sole plate. Extending from the steam space 2 to the heel of the iron is a depressed portion 3 for the reception of the con ventionsl heating element 8".

The terminals and plug are also of conventional design and are thought self explanatory 'snd therefore not described in detail.

A container or boiler d is secured to the sole piste i by bolts 5. A water heating element 6 of 371,363 filed December 23,

a, valve operating cam which. can be substituted the conventional sole plate heating element design is enclosed within the walls 1 of the container 4. The leads or wires 8 can be connected to any suitable terminals, however, I prefer having them connected to the terminals in the manner disclosed in my copending application. In

this application the leads 8 are connected to the terminals 8". r

The container I being further provided with an opening and elongated slots 9 for the reception of a valve casing I0, said valve casing being provided with a flange H adapted to overlap and close the elongated opening.

- The casing in is inserted in the container and secured in position by. a nut l2. The inner lower position ofthe valve casing H) is enlarged there by providing a valve seat 12 forthe main valve is. The valve stem II of the valve 14 has a reducedportion l8 and'tapered portion H, the stem ll extending through a stufllng box I! and held in position by a spring !9 and nut 20. The

valve casing n is further provided with a guide,

2! for the reception of'a water valve 22. The

stem 23 of the valve 22 engages the reduced portion ll of the main valve I4, and is held'in posi- 1 tion by a spring 24 and angular tube 25. I

It will be noted that if the main valve II is forced downwardly the valve I4 will be forced oil the valve seat. ll, permitting steam to enter the steam space 2 and through the perforations 2" to the material belngironed. Further downward movement of the valve I will cause the tapered portion I! to force the 'valve 22 oil the valve seat 22" permitting water to enter the valve casing l0, thereby mixing water with steam,

the steam entering the valve casing through inlet l0". Obviously, water is directed throughthe valve 22 by the angular tube 251 A tubular member 28 having a dial 21 extends through the handle 28 and is threaded on the valve casing In for holding'the handle 28 in position.

A tubular screw zlheving a knob 88 and pointer ll is threaded in the top of the tubular member 26, and extending through the screw 29 is a stem 32 having a head 33 and button II. The

dial 21 is provided with graduatlons 35 with which the pointer 3| on the knob 30 cooperates.

The handle 28 is further secured to the container or boiler 4 by a, screw 36. It is obvious that some means must be provided whereby, if the steam pressure should exceed a predetermined pressure," the steam can escape from the boiler 5 without injury-to the operator. To accomplish the desired result, a safety valve 31 is secured to the valve casing to Just below the main valve l4, and as the valve casing I is directly connected to the steam space 2 in the sole plate I, it is obvious the steam will be discharged through the openings 2" in the sole plate I, thereby preventing injury to the operator.

In Figures 5 and 6 is shown a modified form of tubular member and valve operating mechanism which can be substituted for the tubular member 28 and co-operative valve operating mechanism.

The upper portion 38 of the modified tubular member 39 is larger, than the upper portion of the tubular member 26, so as to provide a guide 40 for the cam 4| and for the reception of the pivot 42 which extends through the cam 4|. The cam 4| being provided with a notch 43 adapted to engage the valve stem IS in the event the valve I4 is to remain open after the operator releases the lever 44. To operate the cam 4|, the operator pushes down on the lever 44 thereby revolving the cam 4| on the pivot 42 forcing the valve l4 oi! the seat I 3 permitting steam to be discharged through thevalve casing ID to the material being ironed. It is apparent that upon releasing the lever 44, the spring l9 will revolve the cam 4|, so that the valve l4 will be automatically seated, thereby shutting off the steam.

If for any reason, it is found desirable to retain the valve l4 in open relation to its seat l3 to permit a continuous flow of steam through the casing ID to the material being ironed, the lever 44 is pressed down until the notch 43 engages the valve stem l5, thereby locking the valve in open position, permitting a continuous flow of steam to the material ironed, and permitting the operator to release the lever 44. To return the valve 14 to a normal or closed position, the operator lifts up on the lever 44 thereby assisting the spring l9 to return the valve to normal position.

The operation of the iron and valve mechanism disclosed in Fig. 1, is as follows: Electric current being supplied from any convenient source to the water heating element 6, and sole plate heating element 3" and the container or boiler 4 filled with water to within a couple of inches from the top thereof and the filler cap 45 in position, steam will be generated in the boiler. After steam is generated, and the operator desires a continuous flow of dry steam to the material being ironed, the operator turns the knob 30 clockwise thereby forcing the valve l4 oi! the seat l3 permitting dry steam to enter the valve casing in through the steam inlet l0". Further turning of the knob 30 will cause the tapered portion ll of the valve stem l5 to engage the stem of the water valve 22 thereby forcing the valve 22 of! the seat 22" .and as the tubular member 25 communicates with the water in the boiler or container 4, .water will enter the valve casing l0 mixing water with steam, the fluid being discharged into the steam space 2 and out through the openings 2" to the material being ironed.

The operator can determine the setting of the valve by means of the pointer 31 and graduations 35 on the dial 21. If the operator desires using steam intermittently, or to conserve steam, the knob 30 is turned counterclockwise until the valve I4 is seated. After the valve I4 is seated, the operator can manipulate the valve l4 by pressing downwardly upon the button 34, thereby permitting dry steam, or steam and water, to be discharged through the valve casing l0 into the steam space 2, and through the openings 2" to the clothing being ironed.

I do not want to be limited to an iron and container, as it is obvious, the container can be utilized for other dampening devices. The sole plate and heating element can be removed and a pipe 46 as indicated in the dotted lines can be attached to the tube 40 in my copending application, the coil 2| further drying the steam. I also do not want to be limited to the automatic water valve 22 in this application as the manually operated valve 26 disclosed in my copending application can be substituted.

Various other modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore the exact forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as necessitated in the prior art.

What I claim is:

1. A dampening iron comprising a sole plate, a steam and water container, means for directing steam and water or steam to the material to be ironed, said means comprising a member communicating with the water in said container, a steam inlet from said container communicating with said means, so as to mix water with steam, and means for heating said sole plate and for heating the water in said container.

2. A dampening iron comprising a sole plate, a water and steam container, a member adapted to direct steam from the steam space of said container to the material to be ironed, a member communicating with said first mentioned member and the water in said container for directing the water to the material to be ironed, a valve in the passageway of said member for regulating the water through said member, a valve in the passageway of said first mentioned member for controlling the steam or steam and water and means for heating the sole plate and water.

3. A dampening and pressing device comprising a sole plate, a steam boiler, means for heating said sole plate and for heating the water in said boiler so as to generate steam, means for distributing said water and steam to the material to be ironed, a water inlet communicating with the water in said boiler and said distributing means, a steam inlet communicating with the steam in said boiler and said distributing means, a spray device communicating with-.tbeldistributing means for spraying the material to be ironed and a control valve between said distributing means and said inlets for controlling the steam and water discharged through said spray device.

4. A dampening and pressing iron comprising a sole plate, a boiler for the reception of steam and water, acontrol valve having means communicating with the water and steam and communicating with distributing means associated with said iron and directed towards the work being ironed, so that either saturated steam or dry steam may be supplied to the material to be ironed, and means for heating said sole plate and the water in said boiler.

5. A combined steam and dampening iron comprising a sole plate for pressing clothing, means for the reception of steam and water, means for heating said sole plate and for heating the water to generate steam, means for distributing said steam and water to the material to be ironed, steam and water inlets communicating with said steam and water and said distributing means and a means communicating with said steam and water inlets and adapted to open and close said inlets, so that steam and water can be applied to the material to be ironed.

6. A dampening iron comprising a sole plate, a

assava-1 i 3 water container mounted on said sole plate, means communicating with the water in said container and adapted to distribute dampening fluid to the.

material to be ironed, a handle for operating said iron, a controi'vaive intermediate said dis- 5 tributing means, valve control means enclosed within said handle, said means including means for holding said valve in a predetermined minimum open position, and means for increasing the supply of fluid without disturbing the predetermined valve adiustment.

7. A pressing device comprising a sole plate for pressing clothing a steam boiler for the reception a: steam and water, means for heating said sole ALBERT c. HOECKERQ 

